Vinny Testaverde

Class of: 2006

Sport: NFL

Team: Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

School: UM

Vincent “Vinny” Frank Testaverde was born November 13, 1963 in Brooklyn, NY. Vinny is a former National Football League (NFL) quarterback who last played for the Carolina Panthers. Testaverde previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, and the New England Patriots.

He led the Jets to an AFC Championship game in 1998. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having thrown a touchdown pass in 21 consecutive seasons. In addition, he holds the NFL record for throwing touchdown passes to 70 different players.

Vinny holds the second highest completion percentage in a single game during the regular season (at least 20 attempts) at 91.3 percent (21/23), in 1993 vs. the LA Rams (Kurt Warner is the first, with 24/26 for 92.3 percent).

As a University of Miami quarterback, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1986. He is the Hurricanes’ all-time leader in career touchdown passes with 48. He played in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl against Penn State for the 1986 national championship, a game in which the Miami Hurricanes were heavily favored, but went on to lose 14-10 after Testaverde threw five interceptions.

Testaverde played an important part in the University of Miami’s ascendance as one of the top collegiate football programs of the 1980s and 1990s. Along with Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar, Testaverde is considered part of the University of Miami’s quarterback dynasty.